Perera accused of evading creditors

A lawsuit alleges the church she founded illegally transferred valuable property.

Published: Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 2:07 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, October 1, 2010 at 11:45 a.m.

A church that Chris Perera founded illegally shifted a valuable piece of property to a Las Vegas holding company Perera controls, a new lawsuit states.

The suit was filed by one of New Life Independent Church's many creditors. Perera is a founding director of that church, which has never had a sanctuary and was originally registered under Perera's post office box in Williston.

At issue is a vacant two-acre tract behind the CVS at Silver Springs Boulevard and Northeast 25th Avenue.

The church had owned the land since 2005. Using a quitclaim deed, it conveyed the property earlier this year to the Perera-controlled Six Gun Holding Ltd., based in Las Vegas. Perera prepared and notarized the quitclaim deed.

Two months later — the quitclaim conveyance notwithstanding — Six Gun paid New Life $40,000 for that property and an adjoining parcel that the church owned.

The plaintiff says the sale of one of those two properties was fraudulent and in violation of the state's Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act. Specifically, the suit alleges that New Life transferred the asset to evade its creditors.

The plaintiff has asked a judge to void the land sale and clear the way for the creditor to collect what it is owed.

Perera, the former director of Kids Zone USA day care, is the subject of the Star-Banner's “Trail of Deception” series, which has detailed the rise and fall of the once-successful businesswoman. Perera awaits trial on two felony theft cases and one misdemeanor drug paraphernalia case. She also has attracted attention from state and local government agencies.

In an August installment of the series, the Star-Banner detailed New Life Church's soured real estate ventures, noting in particular the series of transactions at the heart of the lawsuit.

The plaintiff is Renee Bottomly, one of several people who sold the church property between 2004 and 2007. All the sales were owner-financed.

The church has defaulted on most of these notes and the sellers are winning six-figure judgments.

In Bottomly's case, the church bought a house at 507 S.E. 34th Ave. for $175,000 in May 2007.

The church quickly defaulted on the payments. In November 2008, Bottomly filed for foreclosure. In July of this year, Bottomly secured a default judgment for $114,487.50.

The best chance Bottomly has to recover at least part of what she's owed is to lay claim against whatever assets the church still has. By all accounts, the most valuable asset is the two-acre parcel behind CVS.

The church bought it in August 2005 for $120,000. There was no mortgage recorded, so it appears the church owns the land free and clear. The land's just value, according to the Property Appraiser's Office, is $292,718.

Yet New Life sold that parcel, along with the adjoining piece that it owned, for just $40,000. Combined, the two parcels are valued at nearly $600,000, property records state. And five years ago, the church paid $400,000 for both parcels.

The second parcel — which is not at issue in the lawsuit — was sold to Whit Nie for $100,000 on the same day the church sold it to Six Gun.

Among the questions surrounding that transaction: Why didn't New Life make the sale itself and use the proceeds to pay Bottomly and her fellow creditors, instead of selling it to Perera's Six Gun company?

Perera could not be reached for comment.

The church, although its representatives will not talk to the Star-Banner, has provided some answers in an affidavit that Perera and two other church directors filed in Marion County's official records.

The affidavit said that Perera had been paying taxes on the church properties. But in early 2010, when it became clear the church couldn't secure financing to build a building and pay her back, it was only fair for New Life to transfer its assets to her Six Gun company.

Bottomly, however, took a less charitable view, according to the lawsuit. Bottomly's attorney, Eugene A. Wiechens, could not be reached for comment.

She says the sale was only completed to “hinder, delay, or defraud any creditor.”

<p>A church that Chris Perera founded illegally shifted a valuable piece of property to a Las Vegas holding company Perera controls, a new lawsuit states.</p><p>The suit was filed by one of New Life Independent Church's many creditors. Perera is a founding director of that church, which has never had a sanctuary and was originally registered under Perera's post office box in Williston.</p><hr /><center><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocalacom/127215563985799" target="_blank"><img src="/assets/images/widgets/Ocala/Teezers/OSFacebookTeaserSmall.jpg" /><br />
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<hr /><p>At issue is a vacant two-acre tract behind the CVS at Silver Springs Boulevard and Northeast 25th Avenue.</p><p>The church had owned the land since 2005. Using a quitclaim deed, it conveyed the property earlier this year to the Perera-controlled Six Gun Holding Ltd., based in Las Vegas. Perera prepared and notarized the quitclaim deed.</p><p>Two months later — the quitclaim conveyance notwithstanding — Six Gun paid New Life $40,000 for that property and an adjoining parcel that the church owned.</p><p>The plaintiff says the sale of one of those two properties was fraudulent and in violation of the state's Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act. Specifically, the suit alleges that New Life transferred the asset to evade its creditors.</p><p>The plaintiff has asked a judge to void the land sale and clear the way for the creditor to collect what it is owed.</p><p>Perera, the former director of Kids Zone USA day care, is the subject of the Star-Banner's “Trail of Deception” series, which has detailed the rise and fall of the once-successful businesswoman. Perera awaits trial on two felony theft cases and one misdemeanor drug paraphernalia case. She also has attracted attention from state and local government agencies.</p><p>In an August installment of the series, the Star-Banner detailed New Life Church's soured real estate ventures, noting in particular the series of transactions at the heart of the lawsuit.</p><p>The plaintiff is Renee Bottomly, one of several people who sold the church property between 2004 and 2007. All the sales were owner-financed.</p><p>The church has defaulted on most of these notes and the sellers are winning six-figure judgments.</p><p>In Bottomly's case, the church bought a house at 507 S.E. 34th Ave. for $175,000 in May 2007.</p><p>The church quickly defaulted on the payments. In November 2008, Bottomly filed for foreclosure. In July of this year, Bottomly secured a default judgment for $114,487.50.</p><p>The best chance Bottomly has to recover at least part of what she's owed is to lay claim against whatever assets the church still has. By all accounts, the most valuable asset is the two-acre parcel behind CVS.</p><p>The church bought it in August 2005 for $120,000. There was no mortgage recorded, so it appears the church owns the land free and clear. The land's just value, according to the Property Appraiser's Office, is $292,718.</p><p>Yet New Life sold that parcel, along with the adjoining piece that it owned, for just $40,000. Combined, the two parcels are valued at nearly $600,000, property records state. And five years ago, the church paid $400,000 for both parcels.</p><p>The second parcel — which is not at issue in the lawsuit — was sold to Whit Nie for $100,000 on the same day the church sold it to Six Gun.</p><p>Among the questions surrounding that transaction: Why didn't New Life make the sale itself and use the proceeds to pay Bottomly and her fellow creditors, instead of selling it to Perera's Six Gun company?</p><p>Perera could not be reached for comment.</p><p>The church, although its representatives will not talk to the Star-Banner, has provided some answers in an affidavit that Perera and two other church directors filed in Marion County's official records.</p><p>The affidavit said that Perera had been paying taxes on the church properties. But in early 2010, when it became clear the church couldn't secure financing to build a building and pay her back, it was only fair for New Life to transfer its assets to her Six Gun company.</p><p>Bottomly, however, took a less charitable view, according to the lawsuit. Bottomly's attorney, Eugene A. Wiechens, could not be reached for comment.</p><p>She says the sale was only completed to “hinder, delay, or defraud any creditor.”</p><p><i>Joe Callahan can be reached at joe.callahan@starbanner.com.</i></p>